Sleep is as important to the human body as food and water, but most of us don’t get enough sleep. Insufficient sleep or disruptions to the sleep-cycle causes fatigue, stress, depression, anxiety, weight gain and poor concentration.

Tart Cherry -The Richest Source of Phytomelatonin (Melatonin from plants) available in New Zealand

What is Tart Cherry?

Montmorency Tart Cherry (Prunus cerasus) is a ‘superfruit’ that contains naturally occurring phytomelatonin for a quality sleep. Tart Cherries also contain potent anthocyanin antioxidants that support the immune system. When Tart Cherries are concentrated, they have an extremely high ORAC Level of 12,800 ORAC units per 100 grams.

What is Melatonin?

Melatonin is your sleep hormone and is secreted by your brain’s pineal gland as you wind down at the end of the day to prepare for sleep. Melatonin production is regulated by exposure to light and darkness. Melatonin is only produced at significant levels when it is dark.

How Does Melatonin Help You Sleep?

Melatonin regulates your circadian rhythms and natural sleep patterns to help achieve a ‘deep sleep’ so you wake up feeling refreshed. Insufficient sleep or disrupted sleep affects your melatonin production. This means you do not sleep long enough to reach your ‘deep sleep’ phase which is when most of your melatonin is produced.

How are Circadian Rhythms Related to Sleep?

Circadian rhythms determine your sleep/wake cycle, contribute to jet lag and are responsible for the groggy feeling you may experience after “springing ahead” for daylight saving. Your body’s biological clock/circadian rhythm controls your production of melatonin which makes you feel drowsy and prepares you for sleep. Research supported by the National Institutes of Health has shown that circadian rhythms also influence hormone production, hunger, cell regeneration, body temperature and are associated with obesity, depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

What Happens if I Don’t Produce Enough Melatonin?

Every function of your body is affected by sleep! It should come as no surprise that a decrease or lack of melatonin can have significant effects on your health.

Lack of good quality sleep. You may fall asleep, but you won’t stay asleep. In some cases you may not even realize that you are waking up, as much as dozens or hundreds of times during the night. The result from lack of rest and adequate sleep means you cannot function as you should during the day.

Insomnia. Sometimes you will find it impossible to fall asleep. You may lay awake all night tossing and turning. You may feel exhausted, but still you will not sleep.

Wakefulness. You may fall asleep for a short period of time only to find yourself a few minutes or an hour or two into sleep, wide awake and unable to return to sleep. Even when it is early in the morning you will get out of bed and you will feel exhausted.

How Do I Increase My Melatonin Levels?

There are several ways you can restore balance, especially by having minimal light around you at the end of the day, and a dark room for sleep. Even the light from a clock radio is enough light to signal the brain that daylight is coming, and slow down your Melatonin production to prepare for waking. When you open your eyes in the morning, bright light breaks down Melatonin and creates a surge in serotonin, your ‘happy’ hormone. Routine, routine, routine! Regular meal times and being mindful of sugary foods, caffeine and alcohol consumed, not eating too late and wake times all contribute for a positive influence on your sleep/wake cycle.

A tired child is an accident waiting to happen! Sleepy children tend to ‘speed up’ rather than slow down. Lack of sleep can also affect a child’s school performance with poor focus and they are also more likely to have social and emotional problems. If a child loses just 1 hour of sleep a night, it is equivalent to the loss of 2 years of cognitive maturity and development the next day! This means a 6 year olds’ behaviour would be that of a 4 year old.

How Can I Improve my Child’s Sleeping Habits?

According to the National Institutes of Health, babies, children and teens need more sleep than adults. Adults average between 7.5- 9 hours, primary school children needing on average 10-11 hours and teens 8.5-10 hours.

There are a number of lifestyle changes that can improve sleep time and quality in children:

Avoid giving your child stimulants such as sugar before bed.

Shut down television, video games, and other stimulating activities at least an hour before bedtime.

Establish a night time routine: give your child a bath, read a story, and put them to bed at the same time every night.

Help your child relax before bed by turning on soft music.

Try and avoid any light in their room. If they absolutely require a ‘night light’ slowly work towards moving it out of their bedroom and into the hallway.

Supplement with a natural source of melatonin made from high quality Tart Cherry Juice, which is 100% pure and natural, with no additives. The juice has a sweet-tart taste and is the only natural source of melatonin available for children. Most effective when taken 1 hour before bed.

Where Do I Buy Melatonin?

There are two forms of melatonin available in New Zealand. One is a synthetic form which may be prescribed by a doctor, but may have side effects. The natural source of melatonin found in Tart Cherry may be purchased in health shops and pharmacies, with over 25 years of research with no known side effects.

We’d Love Your Feedback

What do you do when you can’t get to sleep?

Have you tried a Tart Cherry supplement before? If so, what were your experiences?

Margaret Black

I have disturbed sleep as I need to go to the toilet in the middle of the night. I only drink water during the day and make sure I’ve had my 1.5 – 2 litres before 3pm but I still have to get up in the night. Am I having too much water or should I try and drink it all before 1pm? If I don’t drink enough I sleep through the night but obviously not fully hydrated. It’s a bit of a catch 22? What do you suggest please? Thanks.

Night time urination is surprisingly quite common, especially the older we get. Excessive night time urination, Nocturia, can be caused by a variety of things. This isn’t the forum to be able to go into great detail with you, as there are many questions, Water hydration levels vary with each individual. It may be best to see a Registered Natural Health practitioner for advice, or please feel free to call Kristie our Naturopath Wednesdays to Fridays if you would like further product advice (freephone 0800 148148). Please read our Blog: “Dreaming of a Good Night’s Sleep” for further ideas to help you develop deeper REM sleep patterns. Best wishes, Anya

Janine Knezevic

Tart Cherry is amazing-after my husband passed away suddenly I could not sleep and 3 years after this I got a job in a chemist and got introduced to Tart Cherry-didn’t think it would work as had tried everything else-it was amazing- you need to take it for a period of time to allow it work-especially after years of hardly any sleep-this is magic

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